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Old 03-11-2009, 03:49 PM
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Thumbs up 'Stray cat' colony care

Something interesting to share from (http://cisforcats.co.nz/rescue/stray_cat_care_tips.htm)

Hey, people are doing good things in New Zealand!

Stray cat' colony care
Notes from an experienced cat colony carer in the North Shore area - Bettina (from Forgotten Felines) 'Caring for Cats in the North Shore region'.

This is one of the areas that we at 'C is for Cats' are very interested in, so I was thrilled when Bettina agreed to write some notes for us, giving advice and tips for people who also wanted to help stray cats. These notes are exceptionally helpful if you are new to this sort of care.

Advice and Tips on Stray Cat Colony Care.

Throughout New Zealand, there are groups of people caring for colonies of stray cats; stray because they have been abandoned, dumped or simply got lost. These are not feral cats, as they are dependent on humans for their survival, while true feral cats exist without human contact.

In some people's minds, "Strays" immediately conjures up pictures of half-starved, diseases animals lurking around rubbish bins, scavenging to survive, decimating wildlife and of course.... breeding without control.

This is NOT the case in a well managed colony.

"I have been involved in stray cat care for over ten years, with one particular group of cats. All of these are de-sexed, well fed and frankly, a lot healthier and better cared for than many companion cats. Barring accidents, our strays live to 12-13 years old... not bad for cats who haven't had any of the coddling our pets get!"

If you are aware of strays in your area and want to do something constructive about it, here are a few general guidelines. Remember that if no-one does anything, the cats will suffer and are likely to be killed.... not necessarily in a humane way either !

Top priority

All cats must be trapped and de-sexed. Buy, hire or borrow a humane trap, which your local SPCA or cat rescue group should be able to advise you about.

Young kittens (up to 3/4 months) can normally be tamed and re-homed (but remember - the older the kitten, the longer this will take), but make sure that they are de-sexed as soon as possible. De-sexing can now be done at a very early age (ask your vet or local cat rescue group about this), so if the kitten can not be socialised enough to be re-homed, then at least you can re-release it back to the colony and not have to worry about it adding to the cat population. Also make sure that you de-sex the kittens you can re-home before they go to their new families.

Older cats in general, cannot be re-homed (sometimes even those as young as 6 months old), as they don't settle and are likely to run away from their new homes and are then worse off than they would have been in their original colony. So these cats, once de-sexed and identity marked (this is usually done by some form of 'ear tipping' to mark that the cat has been de-sexed, which makes your life easier if you have to catch a large number of similar looking cats!) are best returned to their colony.

After the de-sexing operation, males need only be confined overnight, but females need two nights.

Things you need to think about before you try to trap a colony

You will need to find a sympathetic vet, willing to deal with often unsociable strays and who will also give you a discount off the fees for de-sexing.

If the colony is fairly large, enlist the help of some friends or like-minded people to help, as you will need volunteers to help you catch the group and kitten fosterers to help socialise and care for the kittens until they are ready to be re-homed . You may also need people who will be prepared to care for a female cat and her kittens if they are too young to be weaned/leave her.

You also need to have somewhere to keep the cats safely after they have been de-sexed, until they can be re-released.

Make sure you have money to cover food bills and vet fees - these can be quite costly for the larger colonies, especially if some of them require other veterinary attention for eye problems, respiratory infections etc. (see fund raising below)

" I must stress again that the GOLDEN RULE must be - DE-SEX! This is not only for the cats' sakes, but also any local antagonism will be minimised if people know that the cat population is static and can only reduce over time."

On-going care

1) The Environment

• You may have to 'move house' if the cat colony is not in a 'friendly' area. This is easily done in stages, by moving the feeding stations gradually to a more amenable site.

• Split up a big group if possible. Feeding a few at several separate sites is more acceptable than having a large colony in one place. However, if you are lucky enough to be in an area where no-one has any concerns, then you don't need to worry about this.

• Areas like semi industrial or business areas may not seem ideal locations, but as they are usually empty at night and weekends , they are less likely to arouse antagonism. However, sensitive areas e.g. bush reserves, are guaranteed to cause a problem and the cats are definitely better off being moved away from here.

2) Feeding

This is obviously the main element of care for the stray cats and needs -

a) a roster of feeders, preferably one per day

b) a food supply!

Reliable feeders are worth their weight in gold. Some even manage to supply some or all of the food when they are 'rostered' on and this is invaluable!

To attract volunteer feeders , food donations and monetary donations, try some of the following:

• Put advertisements in local shops/ on supermarket notice boards.

• Install money boxes with friendly and sympathetic retailers. Also try to put the boxes in places where people tend to use cash, as they are more likely to drop in their loose change.

• Install food donation boxes inside supermarkets.

• Arrange with your supermarket to let you buy in bulk, especially when there is a special offer on. This means that you can over ride the normal maximum allowance ( I have found this really useful and the supermarkets are very helpful).

• Have garage sales or a street stall. Garage sales are easier, as you can set up and dismantle at your leisure and things sell that may not normally go on a stall.

• Allot a specific fundraiser - someone who is not involved with the day -to-day feeding of the colony. Then they can concentrate on this and others can concentrate on the feeding etc.

3) Sickness and accidents (within the cat colony)

This is one of the areas that you may find a bit difficult at first, as often there is not a lot that you can do in these eventualities, especially if the cat will not let you near it.

In our established colony, we do give antibiotics in food, but in the event of a serious illness or injury, you do have to accept that you may not be able to do anything at all. If a cat is not eating due to the latter reasons, then you cannot trap it, as this relies on the cats wanting to eat the food in the trap! It's a hard thing to accept at times.

Conclusion

Taking on a colony or even small group of stray cats is a HUGE commitment. Remember -
• You are out in all weathers.

• You have to set up feeding boxes, clean them and ensure that there is clean water available etc.

• You will be 'putting you hand in your own pocket' a lot!

• Be prepared to spend a huge amount of time and patience when trapping the cats for de-sexing.

• Accept that not every one will agree with what you are doing.

• Be prepared for sadness when one of your charges dies or disappears.

However, having said all of this, it is EXTREMELY rewarding to know that you are giving life and love to animals, who would otherwise have a very miserable and short existence.


If you are interested in helping with stray cats or colony care -

In the Auckland region - Contact Linda Nunn (by email) / 'Forgotten Felines'

Also look in the Auckland SPCA's magazine 'Animals' Voice', as there is usually an advert in there for 'stray cat care volunteers'.

In Te Awamutu and surrounding areas, contact Te Awamutu SPCA

In Christchurch - see Cat Rescue (CHCH) and contact Sacha. She is presently looking for volunteers to help with the feeding and trapping of stray cats and she also needs fosterers for young kittens etc.
__________________
"We organized in the past to make Trap-Neuter-Return possible. Today, we organize to make Trap-Neuter-Return the norm and to end the unnecessary killing of cats in animal shelters across the country and provide humane care." - Alley Cat Allies

Last edited by FurKids; 03-11-2009 at 04:01 PM.
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Old 03-11-2009, 04:14 PM
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Thumbs up More good news ...

More good news from http://www.feralcatproject.org/how_help_cats.aspx

Help Make a Difference
How You Can Help the Cats


ARE YOU FEEDING STRAY CATS?

Who can’t resist the urge to put out a dish of fresh cat food and water for the stray cat that knows you look out the window to see if she is there every night? Scenarios like this are played out day after day in neighborhoods and communities across the country and around the world.

There is nothing wrong with you helping this free-roaming cat. It actually gives you a feeling of accomplishment and fills our human need to care for those whom we deem as less fortunate.

But why is it we feel that we are the only ones who do this? As if we are hiding a deep secret, we are relieved to learn that we are not alone. Many people feed stray cats and provide even more help. Thousands of us work together every day to reduce feline homelessness through Trap, Neuter, Return or TNR.

WHY DO THESE CATS NEED OUR HELP?

Left unaltered, free-roaming cats continue to reproduce creating more homeless kittens. Through TNR, free-roaming cats live out their lives without adding to the homeless cat population. According to scientific studies, free-roaming cats gain weight and live healthier lives after being altered. TNR programs are proven to stabilize and significantly reduce the size of free-roaming cat colonies. By limiting free-roaming cat populations, fewer unwanted and homeless cats are taken to shelters

HOW CAN FERAL CAT SPAY/NEUTER PROJECT HELP ME HELP THE CATS?

The Feral Cat Spay/Neuter Project offers FREE spay/neuter services for feral/free-roaming cats in a safe, high quality, humane environment. During our regularly scheduled clinics, cats receive a basic health exam, rabies vaccination and spay/neuter surgery. We also perform an ear tip to clearly identify the cat as altered in order to avoid future trapping/transport for surgery that is not needed. These services are all offered free of charge.

SPAY / NEUTER A CAT OR A COLONY

If you know of a colony of unaltered free-roaming cats that you would like to manage, check out our resources page for information on locations that loan humane traps. Then start a TNR program. Prior to starting any TNR program, contact neighbors or businesses in the area to let them know of your plans and to insure that any owned cats are kept indoors while you are actively trapping.

SET UP A FEEDING STATION OR SHELTER AT A FERAL CAT COLONY

Feeding stations and shelters for free-roaming cats are relatively easy and inexpensive to set up. There are many options available from elaborate buildings to simple plastic bins.

BECOME A FOSTER PARENT TO KITTENS OF FREE-ROAMING CATS

Kittens that are young enough can be socialized and adopted. Foster parents are always needed to help care for these young kittens until they can be altered and placed into adoption. For more information on kitten fostering opportunities check with your local animal rescue organizations and animal care and control agency.
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"We organized in the past to make Trap-Neuter-Return possible. Today, we organize to make Trap-Neuter-Return the norm and to end the unnecessary killing of cats in animal shelters across the country and provide humane care." - Alley Cat Allies
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Old 03-11-2009, 04:26 PM
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Thumbs up Feeding strays is his hobby ...

Owwwwhhhhh!!! How nice ..... from http://www.thehindu.com/2009/02/27/s...2757940300.htm

Feeding strays is his hobby!

VISAKHAPATNAM:

Before dawn breaks over the coast and the clear sky reveals the bright stars peeking through the heavenly canopy, sporting tracksuits and shoes an entire colony of morning walkers descend down on the beach road.

With serene ambience all around and minus the hustle and bustle of the later part of the day, morning walk lifts one’s spirits. But in several parts of the city there is no lack of company for walkers. Among the different kinds of morning walkers by the beach side – the slow jogger, an enthusiastic talker or the silent admirer – there is also a separate breed of animal lovers.

Meet K. Venkateshwarlu, an animal lover. After his hour-long walk, he picks up biscuit packets from the roadside shops. But these are not for him; they are for the street dogs! And the dogs wagging their tails gleefully follow him every morning till they get their quota.

For the fitness freak, animals are more than a passion. Dogs are what he is fond of, and in addition to his own pet, he has a group of five stray dogs of indeterminate parentage who religiously wait for him every morning. “They are lovely dogs and that’s all matters,” he says. Every day he purchases packets of biscuits for Rs.20. “I feed the street dogs which now recognise me.

“I always carry biscuits so that I can give these poor things a treat,” he says. Mr. Venkateshwarlu has always been fond of animals and spending some time with the stray ones is almost a hobby now.

Picture: Venkateshwarlu feeding biscuits to street dogs on the beach road in the city.
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Old 03-11-2009, 04:37 PM
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Thumbs up More kind people ... the world has hope ...

More kind people ... the world has hope ... from http://www.columbiamissourian.com/st...and-feral-cat/

BOONE LIFE: Husband and wife befriend, feed stray and feral cats
Christina and David McCullen have been looking after stray and feral cat colony since 2006


Christina McCullen and her husband, David, got more than they bargained for when they went out for dinner at a fast-food joint in October of 2006. The couple stumbled across a colony of stray and feral cats. These cats, who are either abandoned by owners or strayed from home, now live in the “comfy” setting of a wooded area in the midst of bustling Columbia.

The term “feral” is used for cats that are born into a cat colony and are free from human contact. Stray cats who are free from human contact for three months often stop purring and meowing, whereas feral cats will remain silent for the majority of the time.

“I saw these cats and immediately started throwing chicken nuggets and fries their way,” said Christina McCullen. McCullen volunteers at Columbia Second Chance Animal Shelter and also volunteers with its partner program, Spay Neuter and Protect or SNAP.

It’s mission is to reduce feral cat population through a humane spay and neuter program. Typically the cats are released back into their colony environment, unless they are suitable for adoption.

“If the kittens are caught early enough, they can be raised in foster homes until they are adopted,” McCullen said. The ideal time to catch kittens is between 6 and 8 weeks old. Sometimes taming the kittens at this age only takes a few days.

McCullen, who has names for all the cats, said she loves the cats. Twice a day she brings food and water to the cat colony. Over time, the cats have warmed up to her presence. As soon as she stepped out of the car on Feb. 26, four cats emerged from their wooded refuge and approached her car in the parking lot. One by one the cats sat around McCullen as she cupped out the dry food and emptied tuna packets on the ground.

“If I could take them all home, I would,” McCullen said.

SNAP, which relies heavily on donations, will be hosting a “St. Catty’s Day” fundraiser from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday at at Main Squeeze, 28 S. Ninth St.

For questions or concerns about feral cats in your area, e-mail SNAP at csc_snap@yahoo.com. For donations or volunteer information, e-mail Jessica at jajzp2@mizzou.edu or stop by Columbia Second Chance at 205 E. Ash St.
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Old 03-11-2009, 04:38 PM
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Default Re: 'Stray cat' colony care

thanks for sharing the useful info, furkids.
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Old 03-11-2009, 04:44 PM
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Default Re: 'Stray cat' colony care

You are welcome, Bond girl ... we all need to hear some good heartwarming stories for encouragement ... what with all the shameful (maybe shameless would be a more accurate word) animal cruelty we see around us in our own country ...
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Old 03-13-2009, 10:14 AM
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Thumbs up HK SPCA has a Cat Colony Care Programme

The Hong Kong SPCA is very good, it does not believe in the senseless killings of animals, does a lot of really effective things and even has a Cat Colony Care Programme! How admirable and nice of them!

-----------------------------------------
The HKSPCA Cat Colony Care Programme
http://www.spca.org.hk/eng/welfare/cccp_progress.html

Cats in our society occupy a spectrum that runs from the cherished, indoors-only pet to ferals who may have little or no human contact or support. Some of these felines were born in parks or alleyways, and will never become accustomed to people. Others may be "marginally owned", living in someone's backyard or garage, or travelling from doorstep to doorstep in search of food and occasional shelter or some others may even have been cruelly abandoned by their owners. As neighbourhood cats, these felines may still be used to some human contact.

At the HKSPCA, we strongly believe that all feral cats deserve our compassion and protection, and that there are humane, effective ways to control their populations. We support the efforts of compassionate caregivers who are working hard to make life better for feral cats. Many people in our city complain about these cats, but simply killing them is not the answer to reducing their numbers. In recognising this, we have introduced an animal birth control programme, the HKSPCA Cat Colony Care Programme to provide FREE spay/neuter surgery for our ferals.

What is the Cat Colony Care Programme?

Established in August 2000, the SPCA's Cat Colony Care Programme (CCCP) mobilises a dedicated army of volunteers who feed and watch over "families" of street cats in Hong Kong. The aim is to improve the lives and health of these animals and to stabilise and eventually reduce the numbers of stray and feral cats in the community through the coordinated Trap, Neuter and Return (TNR) effort.

Volunteers are equipped with humane traps and trained in street cat care. In addition to feeding, watering and monitoring their colonies, they catch and transport "their" cats to the SPCA headquarters in Wanchai for de-sexing. The Society's vets also provide general medical treatment when the cats are brought into for surgery. Friendly kittens and adults are placed in our adoption programme. Those deemed not suitable for domestication are returned to their respective colonies to pick up their lives again under the watchful eyes of their carers.

How TNR Works

De-sexed cat colonies first stabilise and then decrease as the breeding rate declines. De-sexed cats vocalize, roam and spray less, resulting in fewer complaints from the surrounding community. Culling healthy cats is inhumane. It is also likely to be ineffective in controlling numbers because cats from further a field tend to move in to fill the vacuum. The colony may actually expand.

How to Spot a TNR cat

It is essential to identify feral cats that have been neutered to help with programme monitoring and ensure that they are not trapped again and put through an unnecessary surgery.

Our programme identifies cats through two methods:

• "ear-tipping" -this can be easily spotted and involves the removal of a small portion of one of the cat's ears left for females and right for males. This is a quick procedure and is done whilst the cat is anaesthetised for the de-sexing procedure (they are also provided with pain-relief medication)

• "micro-chipping" gives us a better method of identification in the event of a problem occurring with one of our colony cats. Through the unique identification number we can track the colony location the cat belongs to and also trace the carer who was looking after the cat. All cats neutered and returned under this programme since 2003 have been implanted with microchips.

So if you see a cat on the street check out its ears – see if an ear-tip is missing.

How you can help

Become a CCCP registered carer.

Feral cats are difficult to catch. People who feed them have higher chance to catch them. If you are already feeding a colony of stray cats, you
should also de-sex the cats as feeding on its own will only increase the population. Other benefits include advice and support from SPCA staff and other carers and help with the adoption and fostering of friendly cats.

Make a donation.

Every dollar counts. For example,

o $1000 will buy a trap to catch and transport stray and feral cats safely and humanely

o $300 helps to cover the cost of putting a cat through our prograame including desexing, life-saving vaccinations, microchipping and basic health care for a cat
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__________________
"We organized in the past to make Trap-Neuter-Return possible. Today, we organize to make Trap-Neuter-Return the norm and to end the unnecessary killing of cats in animal shelters across the country and provide humane care." - Alley Cat Allies

Last edited by FurKids; 03-13-2009 at 11:09 AM.
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Old 03-13-2009, 11:03 AM
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Thumbs up Percentage of cats euthanised by HKSPCA - 0.4%

Wow! see the Percentage of Cats Euthanised by HKSPCA? 0.4% Very impressive!

Percentage of Cats Released/Returned to Colony - a fantastic 97% !!!!

Long live the innocent animals!!! May God's protection be on them and their caregivers!!!
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Old 03-13-2009, 11:12 AM
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Thumbs up See the effective results and steady dwindling in number of animals ...

See the effective results and steady dwindling in number of animals.

... all humanely done ... and all of much that is needed is a first-class mentality ...
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Old 03-13-2009, 11:39 AM
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Default Managed Stray Cat Care

"And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor political, nor popular, but he must take it because his conscience tells him that it is right." - (Martin Luther King Jr)

"The worst sin towards our fellow creatures is not to hate them, but to be indifferent towards them... that's the essence of inhumanity" - George Bernard Shaw


-------------------------------------------------------------------
Managed Stray Cat Care
http://cisforcats.co.nz/a-z/responsi.../straycats.htm

According to the New Zealand 'Animal Welfare (Companion Cats) Code of Welfare' 2007, there are now three basic categories to be used to describe the 'cat' in New Zealand and the final terms are officially - 'Companion Cat ', 'Stray Cat' and 'Feral Cat '.

These 'groupings/categories' have been done in an effort to reduce the confusion between the many terms that already exist worldwide when describing cats that do not live in a home e.g. stray, feral, wild, unfriendly, not tame, farm/barn, etc

The ultimate aim is for everyone, at least in New Zealand, to use the same terms and to have a common understanding of those terms and the cats that they relate to. Confusing 'stray' with 'feral' has been a point of concern for quite a while among cat welfare organisations.

In this new 'Companion Cats' Welfare Code, it categorically states (for the purposes of the code) that a feral cat is NOT a stray cat.

Stray Cat - "For the purposes of this code, means a companion (domestic) cat which is lost or abandoned and which is living as an individual or in a group (colony). Stray cats have many of their needs indirectly supplied by humans, and live around centres of human habitation. Stray cats are likely to breed with the un-neutered companion cat population" (Companion Cats Code of Welfare 2007)

Note: Well managed stray cat colonies will always be neutered or in the process of being neutered, so they will not breed with other cats.

Feral Cat - "For the purposes of this code, means a cat that is not a stray cat and which has none of its needs provided by humans. Feral cats generally* do not live around centres of human habitation. Feral cat population size fluctuates largely independent of humans, is self- sustaining and is not dependent on input from the companion cat." (Companion Cats Welfare Code 2007). (Note: I put 'not' in red, to highlight this!)

* Personally, I think that this should say that 'ferals do not live anywhere near centres of human habitation'.

Also note-

Feral cats are also not "included under the provisions of this code." and "Feral cats may be defined as pests under the Biosecurity Act 1993 and and therefore subject to control under a pest management strategy." (Companion Cats Welfare Code 2007)

This is good news for the 'stray cat' and those who care for them.

In this 'Companion Cat' code, you can now also find a section (13) called "Stray Cats and Cats living in colonies", which provides further information about stray cats and 'managed colonies' etc.

C is for Cats have a few cats as part of the gang, who were originally strays and we have quite a soft spot for them in general. So, naturally this whole issue with stray cats is something that I am very interested in.

The homeless cat population (including those found in rescue shelters.. I have mentioned this here, as not all cats in shelters are strays... many of them are companion cats that have been signed over for re-homing) and stray cat problems are not the cat's fault...but humans, in general! The situation is exacerbated by people not having their cats de-sexed or irresponsibly abandoning their non de-sexed cats. In an effort to survive, these cats may then.... either individually try to join an existing colony; a few may set up a new colony; some in more rural areas may go off into the bush and their offspring will then be deemed feral (as they will not have any human contact) .... or worse still, they will die a slow death of possible ill health or starvation. It is not true that cats can completely survive on their own, at least not healthily. The life expectancy of 'uncared for' strays and feral cats is very low in comparison to cared for companion cats.

Existing colony carers are then overloaded if cats are abandoned in their area and spend all of their time trying to trap new cats, assessing if they can be re-homed and also having them all de-sexed. Kittens may start appearing in a once stable colony due to new pregnant feline arrivals and the whole cycle begins again. Luckily, if these kittens are caught fairly soon, they can usually be socialised and re-homed as companion cats. However, this all takes time, resources, extra people and lots of effort.

There are many responsible guardians out there (many of whom I have met whilst setting up 'C is for Cats'), who have had their cats neutered and take exceptional care of them, but as a whole we have to take responsibility for these nationwide and worldwide issues.

There isn't any value in ignoring this issue and saying that the responsibility lies with other people and as long as my little 'Tiddles' is OK then 'why should I do anything?'

Managed Stray Cat Care

The method of 'Trap, Neuter, Release' (TNR) is slowly becoming recognised and accepted by some councils in New Zealand (but not all ...at least, not yet) as a more positive way forward in order to manage the stray cat colonies.

Cats are humanely trapped, health checked, de-sexed wormed, flea treated etc and assessed for the possibility of re-homing. Only healthy cats who cannot be re-homed, are re-released to a colony.

These cats are often marked in some way for identification purposes (e.g. if they are trapped again, then it will be known that they are already de-sexed and they can be quickly released) and the most recognised method throughout the world is known as 'ear tipping'.

This involves removing the smallest tip of the the left ear when the cat is under anaesthetic during de-sexing etc. This heals quickly and marks the cat as a 'cared for stray', which could be life saving in some circumstances.

Any cats trapped that are ill, will usually be cared for until they are healthy. In most circumstances, only extremely ill cats, who have no hope of recovery may have to be euthanased. Some colony carers have varying opinions about when a stray cat should be euthanased and this occurs world over.

All of this huge veterinary expense is covered by the colony carer, who has to fund raise or spend their own money. Contrary to some beliefs, most stray cat carers are not little old women who have nothing better to do!! All of the colony carers I know are dedicated, responsible (and far from old) people, who do this in their spare time...because they care! They go out in all weathers feeding and trapping and care very much about each cat in the colony.

We do hear of a few people who feed cats, without realising that they should have the cats de-sexed, so they continue to multiply, but this is where education comes in and other colony carers offering support and advice.

There are also some examples of cat hoarding occurring, but this is a different thing altogether and to be discouraged. The latter has nothing to do with well managed stray cat colony care!

In some countries e.g. Rome, stray cats are helped far more and the colony carers are given training, support and status for their work. This is also on going in the USA and they have some great organisations involved in caring for stray cats and disseminating education.

On our website, you can read more about some of the people involved with the 'managed' stray cat colonies* found throughout New Zealand. I think that it is very important for the general public to understand why people are caring for these cats, that they are just ordinary felines and why extermination is not the way to control them! .

Complete colony extermination is downright short sighted, because when a colony is totally removed from an area, another cat group will just move in to take over the space and the problem continues. However, having a neutered and 'cared for' group maintained in one area, deters groups of other cats from moving in (although individuals may join a group at times) and also keeps unwanted 'vermin' at bay e.g. rats.

Also, the practice of whole group extermination is totally unacceptable to many cat people... including C is for Cats.

Please be actively involved in helping! There are many positive ways to help e.g. volunteering to help with stray cat colony carers, donating food, raising funds to pay for the neutering of these cat colonies and for other vet fees.

PLUS.. encourage everyone to have their cats de-sexed, especially when they are kittens (early desexing) and help to 'Promote Understanding, Responsibility and Respect' !!

National and international problems

The increasing cat population is becoming a very big issue throughout the world, but especially in countries like New Zealand and Australia where the cat is seen as an 'introduced' predator. Concerns about native wildlife means that the cat is being 'tarred and feathered' all over again by some groups (See History ) .... and being made a scape 'cat'. Also see 'Environmental Issues' to read further articles or links about this topic.

In the past the SPCA have made a stand against an outright attack on the cat in New Zealand (2001) and have also been working really hard over the years to have 'managed stray cat colonies' left alone by councils, especially in the Auckland region.

Historical articles of note -

See Environmental Issues (above) for notes from the Cat Position Paper (2000) - Auckland SPCA

An article entitled, 'Don't confuse stray cats with ferals' originally appeared in the Auckland SPCA magazine, "Animals' Voice" (Autumn 2006). The article was written following a meeting called in response to some initial controversial recommendations of Auckland Regional Council (ARC) in early 2006 regarding stray cat colonies in the Auckland area and their future. It should be noted that Mr Mike Lee (Chairman of ARC) did not agree with such a proposal. The article also explained that during the meeting, old 'myths', which label cats as the 'number one enemy' of the native bird population was discussed, with Bob Kerridge (Auckland SPCA) providing evidence from past studies, which illustrated that the main part of the cat's diet is NOT native birds.

Since the above occurred and after many public submissions and their own discussions, another draft from ARC was released. It was rather a big document, but was split up into sections. The section about animal pest control is where you will read about cats. There were some interesting developments and positive changes.

The responses to this second draft were also varied!

If you click here, it will take you to the ARC website where you can find out more about the proposed strategies for 'pest management' in the Auckland region.

For further information

Follow this link for useful advice and tips if you are considering helping stray cats. This information has been written for 'C is for Cats' by an experienced cat colony carer (North Island).

Auckland SPCA also has information on stray cat colony care. Follow this link to their site.

Also read about our featured stray cat carers in Christchurch and North Shore (Auckland) see how you could help them. Linda Nunn is also heavily involved with stray cat care, although that is not her only focus.
By finding out more about stray cats and their care, supporting positive measures towards this, never abandoning cats into the environment plus having your cat neutered, will all help to reduce the number of cats who are needlessly losing their lives each and every year! Education is key to the problem, so please help us to disperse the myths about de-sexing and overcome ignorance about basic and essential cat care!

*The exact location of colonies remain anonymous.

Photographs kindly supplied by Cat Rescue Chch and Animal Re-homing
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"We organized in the past to make Trap-Neuter-Return possible. Today, we organize to make Trap-Neuter-Return the norm and to end the unnecessary killing of cats in animal shelters across the country and provide humane care." - Alley Cat Allies

Last edited by FurKids; 03-13-2009 at 11:46 AM.
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  #11  
Old 03-13-2009, 11:42 AM
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Default Re: 'Stray cat' colony care

i think we should form a group like the ones mentioned in your articles. working together is much more effective and easier than working alone.
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Old 03-13-2009, 11:54 AM
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Thumbs up Respect for life begins with concern for animals - HKSPCA

from HKSPCA website (http://www.spca.org.hk/eng/welfare/cccp.html):

Statistics from the States show that

"An un-spayed female, her mate and all of their offspring, producing 2 litters per year, with 2.8 surviving kittens per litter can total in 1 year: 12 extra cats; in 5 years: 11,801 extra cats!!"

An amazing figure and one of the reasons why we, at the SPCA, are on occasion left with no choice but to humanely destroy healthy, unwanted cats. Studies suggest that if 60% of the female population is de-sexed, then the population will remain static, higher numbers can lead to decreasing populations. With education people can see the great benefits to both animal welfare and the community as a result of this effective and humane programme. It's time to be proactive and stop unnecessary killing.

At the SPCA, every feral cat brought to our centre by the registered carer is assessed before being de-sexed. They are also microchiped, vaccinated, “de-flead”, de-wormed, and treated for ear mites and other minor health problems before being sent back to where they were trapped to live out the rest of their natural lives. There is no monetary charge to our carers for this work. The costs are met from our welfare funds and donations received from members of the public.

Feral cats on the streets may not welcome. They can cause the public to complain to the Government about their habits, e.g: crying at night in the breeding season, trespassing and marking territory with urine and faeces, raiding rubbish. The sight of unhealthy kittens and adults huddled together in alleyways is distressing.

Through this humane programme via both education of the community and action to improve the welfare of the street cats and decrease their numbers, people should be more able to accept the cats place in the community.

Respect for life begins with concern for animals - HKSPCA
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"We organized in the past to make Trap-Neuter-Return possible. Today, we organize to make Trap-Neuter-Return the norm and to end the unnecessary killing of cats in animal shelters across the country and provide humane care." - Alley Cat Allies

Last edited by FurKids; 03-13-2009 at 03:04 PM.
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Old 03-13-2009, 04:11 PM
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Thumbs up HKSPCA "Streetwise" publications

HKSPCA "Streetwise" publications - First Edition ... very, very good success stories read.

Second and third editions available at http://www.spca.org.hk/eng/welfare/cccp.html
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Old 03-16-2009, 04:57 PM
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Thumbs up Heroic deeds of our stray furry friends ...

Read about the heartwarming heroic deeds of our stray furry friends at http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/...100133166.html

One-year-old Argentine ‘Mowgli’ kept alive by cats on streets

Sunday, 21 December , 2008, 02:20

London: A one-year-old Argentine baby boy apparently had the same fate as wild child Mowgli in Disney’s film The Jungle Book, when he was found being kept alive by cats on the streets.

Police officers who found the tiny lad were surprised to see how the cats snuggled up to keep him warm during freezing nights, which would otherwise have claimed his life.

The animals licked the baby boy as he ate scraps foraged by them. They even hissed when a female cop approached the boy in Misiones, Argentina.

The tot was rushed to hospital, where doctors suggested that he was kept alive by the care he received from the animals.

Policewoman Alicia Lorena Lindgvist found the baby by a canal in the Christ King district on Wednesday. “I was walking and noticed a gang of cats sitting very close together.

It is unusual to see so many like that so I went for a closer look and that’s where I saw him.

The boy was lying at the bottom of a gutter. There were all these cats on top of him, licking him because he was really dirty,” the Sun quoted her as saying.

“When I walked over they became really protective and spat at me. They were keeping the boy warm while he slept,” she added.

Alicia also revealed scraps of food were lying by the kid. “I picked him up and took him to the nearest police station.

He was still really dirty and he was then taken to the hospital. The doctor who examined him said he should have perished in the cold,” she said.

“The cats knew he was fragile and needed protecting,” she added.

The police have found the baby’s father, who himself is a homeless man.The tot’s father has admitted that he had lost him several days ago while collecting cardboard to sell.

He even revealed that his son had always received good care from cats.

Explaining how the boy could have survived due to the cats’ behaviour, a spokesman for Thames Valley Animal Welfare, which deals with feral cats and strays in Berkshire, said: “They would have viewed the baby like a big hot water bottle.

Cats will cuddle up to anything to keep warm, even dogs.”

He added: “In our experience of cat colonies, when a mother has a litter, all the other cats will go and fetch food.

The baby could have been feeding off the scraps they brought.

Cats in Argentina stay in large packs to survive — much more than cats over here.”
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Old 03-18-2009, 02:57 PM
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Thumbs up Hey, HKSPCA has TNR for dogs too ...

HKSPCA is there for our own SPCA to emulate ...

SPCA Malaysia, read carefully ... then read again ... slooooooooowly ...

from http://www.spca.org.hk/eng/welfare/cdp.html and
http://www.spca.org.hk/eng/welfare/cdp2.html or below:
----------------------------------------------------------

HKSPCA website says ... "We can all live in harmony with the dogs, please show these helpless creatures some kindness and patience".

Animal Birth Control Programmes

The HKSPCA supports the control of animal populations through animal control programmes as the humane alternative to the traditional apporach of trapping and killing.

To this end the HKSPCA has developed an animal care and birth control programme called the Cat Colony Care Programme (CCCP). This has been in operation since August 2000 and controls the population of street cats through surgical sterilisation as well as (with the help of volunteers) providing basic care for cats unfortunate enough to be forced to live on the streets.

For such initiatives to be successful it is important for there to be community support.

Why is an Animal Birth Control Programme better than trapping and killing?

For years the traditional approach of trapping and killing has not worked in Hong Kong - we still have a stray/feral dog problem.

A stray (or feral) animal can only exist in the environment where there is an ecological niche. This means that the animal will only survive if there is food and water and it is accepted by other animals in that area. The reproduction of such animals and hence growth in population, is limited by natural stresses such as competition for food and space.

If an animal is removed from the ecological niche (as happens with the trapping and killing approach) a vacuum is created and will be filled in one of either two ways - a new animal migrates into the area or the existing ones reproduce at a higher rate. The majority of stray or feral dogs that are removed from an area are killed. They are normally not well-socialised and cannot be re-homed. Re-location is not a solution, in effect it just moves the problem from area to area and "warehousing" (the keeping of animals in cages with the freedom they are used to) is queationable in terms of animal welfare.

If the animals within the area are caught, neutered and returned (as occurs in an animal birth control programme) then the niche remains full. New animals are less likely to migrate in due to the natural territorial behaviour of the current residents and the existing ones cannot reproduce further. The population should eventually stabilise and may even decrease slightly.

The added benefit for the animals under the birth control programme is that they have significantly imporved welfare thorugh an improved health status when not subjected to the stresses of reproduction as well as a result of other preventative medicines given at the time of the neutering. Such a programme is also important from a disease control purpose as vaccination against rabies is a key component of any such responsible programme.

It should be noted that to be successful an animal birth control programme also needs to address the issue of un-neutered traditionally owned dogs and cats as well as "community" dogs and cats (that is neuter them). If these animals continue to breed their offspring are likely to become the unwanted strays of tomorrow. Responsible pet ownership should also be promoted with the trend to abandon animals on the street actively discouraged.
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Old 03-18-2009, 03:16 PM
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Thumbs up SPCA (HK) Community Dog Programme (CDP)

Animal Birth Control (ABC) Programmes from SPCA (HK)

SPCA (HK) Community Dog Programme (CDP)

This programme is designed to identify an area (CDP Zone) withn Hong Kong that has a problem with dog over-population and to assist the general community and other agencies in reducing an hopefully eliminate the problem.

The approach is a holistic ine that needs community approval and active participation in order to succeed and should address all population of dogs within the area where the programme will be run.

Owned dogs will be targeted through a community education campaign advising the owners on control of their pets and licensing requirements and relevant codes of conduct as well as the effects of indiscriminate breeding. The aim is to have a well-controlled, legal populatin of dogs that do not contribute to the stray or feral dog population or cause a nuisance.

Community dogs ("loosely owned", stray or feral dogs) will be targeted through a catch, neuter and return (CNR) programme.

The catch, neuter and return part of the programme would consist of three phases:

1) Identification & catching or trapping;
2) Assessment
3) Action

Each CDP sone will have an SPCA registered carer who will be responsible for the management of the community dogs with the CDP zone including assisting with trapping and complaint mediation. It should be noted that whilst community dogs deemed suitable for adoption may be removed from the site and placed for adoption with a AFCD approved re-homing facility, in reality the majority of these dogs will be returned to the zone as they are unlikely to be socialised to the extent that they will be easily placed in homes.

1) The community dogs will be identified by the carer and catching/trapping will be undertaken with the assistance of the carer, SPCA and AFCD

2) The dogs will be assessed on behavioural and health grounds by appropriately trained and qualified SPCA staff or volunteers, with input form the carer.

3) The normal outcomes for the dogs will be one of the following:

- Removed from the CDP zone and placed in a re-homing programme;

- Neutered, vaccinated against rabies and micro-chipped and returned to the CDP zone; or

- Removed from the CDP zone and euthanised on either behaviorial or health grounds

The intended result of the CDP programme is a healthier, stable (hopefully reducing) population of feral dogs.

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